FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a typical USB system with a USB flash card reader. Referring to FIG. 1, an integrated circuit card 1 is shown to be accessed by a card reader 2 that is capable of establishing a communications link with a host computer 3. The integrated circuit card 1 includes a card body 18, a memory device 11 mounted on the card body 18, a fingerprint sensor 12 mounted on the card body 18, a card reader interface circuit 13 mounted on the card body 18, a processing unit 14 mounted on the card body 18, a battery 15 mounted on the card body 18, a function key set 16 mounted on the card body 18, and a display unit 17 mounted on the card body 18.
Memory device 11 is a flash memory. The memory device 11 stores fingerprint reference data obtained previously by scanning a fingerprint of assigned users, users passwords and card information. The fingerprint reference data includes a plurality of scan line data, each of which describes fingerprint characteristics in a respective scanning line of the fingerprint of the assigned user.
The fingerprint sensor 12 is adapted to scan a fingerprint 5 of a holder of the card body 18 and to generate fingerprint scan data. The card reader interface circuit 13 can be activated so as to communicate with the card reader 2. The processing unit 14 is connected to the memory device 11, the fingerprint sensor 12 and the card reader interface circuit 13. The processing unit 14 receives the fingerprint scan data from the fingerprint sensor 12, and compares the fingerprint scan data with the fingerprint reference data in the memory device 11 to verify if the holder of the card body 18 is one of the assigned users. The processing unit 14 activates the card reader interface circuit 13 for exchanging the card information with the host computer 3 via the card reader 2 upon verifying that the holder of the card body 18 is the assigned user. Thus, the integrated circuit card cannot be used if the card holder is not the assigned user. The battery 15 is connected to the processing unit 14 and provides electrical power required by the integrated circuit card 1.
The function key set 16 is connected to the processing unit 14, and is operable so as to select the card information that is exchanged with the host computer 3. Preferably, a segment of the fingerprint reference data stored in the memory device 11 is transmitted by the processing unit 14 to the host monitor 3 upon verifying that the holder of the card body 18 is the assigned user for increased security of network transaction. The segment of the fingerprint reference data includes chosen ones of the scan line data selected according to date or time of the exchange of the card information with the host computer 3. Alternatively, the chosen ones of the scan line data can be selected in a random manner.
The display unit 17 is connected to and is controlled by the processing unit 14 for displaying the card information that is exchanged with the host computer 3 thereon. The display unit 17 can be further used to display information from the host computer 3. However, such a USB system as shown in FIG. 1 cannot support extended USB (EUSB) interfaces.